Wire-fence tool



P. 1. HINDMARSH.

WIRE FENCE TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1919.

1,367,516. Patented Feb. 1,1921.

nearer stares rnranr orricn.

PERCY J. I-IINDIVIARSE, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

RE IRE-FENCE TOOL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY J. HINDMARSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster, State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fence Tools, of which the following is a specification, refcrence being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

ltiy object is the provision of a tool by which fence wire, whether woven, barb or other wire may be readily stretched and the wire brought to tying position so that it extends radial to the post center and'not tangent to the post periphery, and to provide such a tool that will be simple, cheap, and readily operated, and attain such object my invention consists in the tool constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and defined by or embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

in the drawing:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are perspectlve views of a tool embodying my invention, showing the same, respectively, in its position in three stages of the operation, beginning with the position ready to stretch the wire and end ing with the wire ready for splicing or tying; and

Fig. t is a horizontal section through the fence post after the wire has been tied.

in the drawing, 10 designates a portion of a round end fence post, and 11 a strand of fence wire running thereto from another post (not shown). My tool, for operating upon the wire to stretch it, and placing it in conditlon for tying, comprises an arc-shaped plate member 12, a lever 18 pivoted to the latter upon its convex side to swing horizontally, a short lever 14; pivoted to the side of the lever 13 to swing vertically, and a finger 15 pivoted at one end to the short lever 14, and having one or more hook-shaped teeth 16 on one side. The concave side of the plate 12 has a curvature to fit upon the rounded outer surface of the post 10, and the end of the lever 13 next the convex side of the plate 12 is curved eccentric to the lever pivot so as to constitute a cam-shaped jaw 17 to grip the fence wire against the plate 122, when, as shown in the drawings, the wire is passed around the post and hes upon the convex exterior of the plate. The wire being thus gripped, by continuing the swing of the lever around the post, in the dlrection of its movement on its pivot to so grip the Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Serial No. 325,804.

wire, the whole tool will swing about the post, taking with it the gripped wire and stretching the latter. The tool should be stopped when its lever 18 stands at about a right angle or 90 degrees from the direction or"? the wire from post to post. At this stage of the operation, the line of wire from post to post, is tangential to the, post 10, and if the tie or splice were made at this stage, the wire loop around the post would eventually slip around thereon and thus the line between posts would slacken, as there would be nothing to restrain the line of wire in said tangential relation to the post. I now move the finger 15 to cause one of its hooks to catch over the tangentially extending wire, close to the post, which will place the short lever 1d in an upright position, and then by pulling on said lever 14:, the finger will move and pull the wire about the post to a radial position, and then the free end of the wire is wound or tied, as usual, the result being illustrated in Fig. 4.

The finger operating lever 14 has a notch 18 at its outer end next the lever 13 so that it will snap over the edge of the latter and latch when moved to the position where its pivot and the finger pivot are on dead centers, which is at the time the wire is pulled to the position radial to the post.

lVhen the job is done, the tool is slipped from between the loop and the post.

The jaw end of the lever 13 is bifurcated, and the member 12 is symmetrical above and below so that the tool is double and invertible, thus enabling it to be Worked from either side of the post.

I claim:

1. A tool for stretching fence wire comprising a post-engaging member having on the side toward the post a curvilinear postsurface and on its outer side a converily curved surface over which the wire passes, whereby said member lies oetween the wire and the post, and a lever pivoted to said member having a wire-engaging jaw, said post-engaging member being movable around the post.

2. A tool for stretching fence wire comprising a post-engaging member, a lever pivoted thereto having a wire-engaging jaw,

member having a wire-supporting surface against which said jaw holds the wire, said postengaging member being movable around the post, and means to engage the "fence wire and move it from a position tangential to the post to a position radial thereto comprising a wire engaging member movable relatively to said post-engaging member.

3. A tool for stretching fence wire comprising a post-engaging member a lever pivoted thereto having a wire-engaging jaw, said member having a wire-supporting surface against which said aw holds the wire, said post-engaging member being movable around the post, a wire-engaging finger movable relative to said member, and means mounted on said lever to move said finger.

4. A tool for stretching fence wire comprising a post-engaging member, a lever piv oted to said member having a Wire-engaging jaw, said post-engaging member being movable around the post, a second lever pivoted to said first lever, and a wire-engaging finger pivoted to said second lever.

5. A tool for stretching fence wire comprising apost-engaging member having on the side toward the post a curvilinear post engaging surface and on its outer side a convexly curved surface over which the wire passes, whereby said member lies between the wire and the post a lever pivoted thereto having a wire-engaging jaw, said post-engaging member being movable around the post, said jaw being double and said member having surfaces to cooperate therewith, whereby the tool may operate on either side of the post.

6. A fence wire tool comprising means for drawing wire around a post and means to move the wire from a position tangential to the post to one radial thereto and comprising a wire-engaging member that is movable relative to said first mentioned means.

7. A fence wire tooi comprising means for drawing Wire around post, means to move the wire from a position tangential to the post to one radial thereto comprising a wire engaging finger and a lever to which it is pivoted.

In testimony whereof 1 afiix my signature.

PERCY J. HINDMARSH. 

